Reduce heartburn

What Foods Cause Heartburn

Max. D Gray
By Max. D Gray. Updated: January 16, 2017
What Foods Cause Heartburn

Do you regularly suffer from heartburn? One reason may be that you follow a few unhealthy eating habits that cause gastric reflux to appear, leading to the burning sensation in the stomach. It is important to know what foods cause heartburn so to know what may be causing your upset stomach. To assist you we offer this OneHowTo article where we show you what foods greatly destabilise the acid levels in our body.

Steps to follow:
1

The causes of heartburn may vary because this condition can be suffered sporadically or chronically, depending on each person. However, it is true that there is a direct relationship between what you eat and the appearance of burning in the stomach; this is because there are some foods that cause heartburn by composition. Here are the list of these products so you can asses whether you need to reduce their intake:

  • Caffeine contained in coffee stimulates acid production in the stomach and contributes to the opening of the inner esophageal sphincter opens inside; it is therefore one of the foods that cause heartburn.
  • Chocolate is not an ingredient that has within it any acid content but it does stimulate the production of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that like coffee helps the esophageal sphincter to relax, allowing acid to leak and resulting in the heartburn feeling reappearing.
  • Alcohol is one of the products that cause greatest heartburn. The reason is that it contains substances that are difficult to be metabolised by the body and end up destroying the protective barrier of the stomach; it also relaxes the sphincter so that gives free rein for the reflux to appear.
  • Mint increases the production of stomach acid and so when taken either in its natural form or in a tablet form like gum or sweets it can induce the development of this unpleasant sensation.
  • Tomato is one of the most acidic vegetables there are, it is for this reason that when you prepare a tomato sauce you should reduce the acidity with a little sugar. Both in its natural form or when taken in ketchup or sauces, tomato is strongly discouraged in people who regularly suffer heartburn.
  • Garlic and onion have not got much acid content but do cause acid production increases during digestion; this happens mostly when eaten raw, if cooked it can be that this feeling is reduced.
  • Citrus fruits (oranges, lemons, grapefruit, etc.) are fruits to be avoided if you usually have acidity.
  • Carbonated refreshments or drinks are also products that increase stomach pressure and therefore increase the levels of acidity. It is especially important to avoid taking this type of drink before bed to avoid suffering indigestion through the night.
  • Vinegar is also a very acidic dressing that contains the acid called acetic, an ingredient that increases acidity in the stomach.
  • Spicy ingredients like chilli are also products that are best avoided if you suffer this condition regularly as other that increasing levels it breaks down the stomachs protective barrier.
  • Fried foods contain a lot of fat, something that is hard for your stomach to digest and requires an increase in the production of stomach acid to process it properly. So opt for foods cooked healthily like on a grill, baked or steamed in order to facilitate your stomach's work.
What Foods Cause Heartburn - Step 1
2

If you suffer from heartburn regularly is important that you change your eating habits by considering the list we just provided; however, in addition you can also carry out some of these steps to help you prevent stomach acid:

  • To facilitate the digestion of food it is recommended you pay attention to the amounts eaten and choose smaller and lighter dishes. It is important not to overfill the stomach so to facilitate the digestive process, so eat less and do so more frequently: you will see the burning sensation is reduced.
  • Avoid lying after eating because lying down to complete a digestion makes it harder for the body to complete the task. So avoid after lunch naps and always have dinner at least two hours before bedtime, you will see how you feel better and learn to control your stomach.
  • It is also not advisable to exercise after eating because you can cut the digestion, it is best to sit and relax without actually lying down. Wait at least two hours after eating to do any sports, doing so you will feel better.
  • Smoking is also an unhealthy and harmful habit for everyone and especially people with this condition since tobacco increases the production of stomach acid.

In addition it is also important to know how to treat stomach acidity by use of both pharmaceutical products and natural remedies that can help reduce pain.

What Foods Cause Heartburn - Step 2
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If you get heartburns from time to time, there are some medicines that can alleviate the symptoms, such as Omeprazole. However, the regular use of this drug has many side effects, so it is better to replace it with natural remedies whenever we suffer from heartburn.

This article is merely informative, oneHOWTO does not have the authority to prescribe any medical treatments or create a diagnosis. We invite you to visit your doctor if you have any type of condition or pain.

If you want to read similar articles to What Foods Cause Heartburn, we recommend you visit our Diseases & secondary effects category.

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